Prince of Ravenscar (Sherbrooke Brides 11)

“But this worries me. Do you think he sought her out purposefully, Roxanne? That he knew of my son’s connection to your family?”

I certainly do, she thought, but she said, “It doesn’t seem very likely. I mean, he could find out that I would be coming with my niece to London for the Season. It’s also possible he could have discovered that you, your grace, and Sophie’s mama were best friends, even heard you hoped for a wedding between her daughter and your son. But all of that seems so convoluted to me.

“Since I have not attended the assembly-room balls on Mount Street in several months, it is quite possible he did indeed meet Leah there. Mayhap this budding romance is only as it appears—an innocent encounter.”

Sophie said, “An innocent encounter? Come, Roxanne, it blasts one in the head with the coincidence of it.”

“Whatever the reason,” Corinne said thoughtfully, “he moved quickly to attach her. It appears he was successful.”

“It would help, ma’am, if you told us why he believes Julian shot Lily.”

Corinne shook her head.

Sophie said, “My mama always said she was blessed and cursed with her sisters. She said Aunt Leah was the curse part. I think it was one of the few times my papa agreed with her. I believe Aunt Leah once called him an advocate for the joys of Hell. He didn’t know what she meant, but he was put off by her. Not that he ever appreciates a female expressing an opinion in his presence.”

Roxanne wanted to curse Reverend Wilkie and laugh at the same time—an advocate for Hell—well done, Leah, but she didn’t laugh. She stood up and shook out her skirts, said, “Leah obviously does not know what sort of man Richard Langworth is. Do you think I should make the push to detach her from him?”

Sophie said, “I cannot imagine she would believe you, Roxanne. She would think you jealous.”

Corinne said, “I do not like this, girls. It doesn’t bode well for bringing to fruition what I want in the full passage of time.” She gave Sophie a significant look. Sophie merely smiled at her. Corinne added, “I believe I shall have to set Jory to following him. Mayhap I shall have to hire another boy.”

And I, Roxanne thought, shall have to determine what, if any, danger Richard Langworth poses to my sister. And to Julian.

17

Devlin fired. The small white paper target fifteen feet distant burst into pieces.

“Good shot,” Julian said, raised his own pistol, and fired. The paper square beside the first one exploded.

As he picked up his second pistol and fired it at the third square, Devlin said, “I saw Sophie,” and missed. He frowned, set the pistol down, turned to Julian. “It draws dreadfully to the left. You win, Julian, since I missed that last one. Sophie told me the other Radcliffe sister has come to London to visit—her aunt Leah. I must say she sounded rather ambiguous about it.”

“What do you mean ‘ambiguous’?” Julian seated himself in front of a table that smelled of oil, waved off the attendant, and began to clean his pistol himself.

“Her name is Leah Cosgrove, Lady Merrick, widow of a naval captain, a baron, who drowned some years ago. I fancy if I knew her better, Sophie would have relieved her bile and called the woman a bitch. She said Aunt Leah was sharp with Roxanne, insulting her, really, and she didn’t like it, and what did I think?”

“What did you say?”

“I said I would meet the woman and then tell her.”

Julian laughed. “As you know, my mother, who has never minced matters, called her an ill-intentioned harpy. She told me about her visit with them. And believe me, Dev, that’s not the worst of it.”

Devlin said only, “Yes, I know. Richard Langworth is in the picture, evidently the close friend of Lady Merrick.”

Julian nodded. “I do not know how it came about, but I am convinced it isn’t a random coincidence. I believe Richard somehow discovered my mother wanted an alliance between Sophie and me. I don’t know how he found out, but I will discover it.”

Devlin closed his two pistols in a very old mahogany case. “Do you know, I think it’s time you put a bullet in him, Julian—cleverly, of course, since you don’t want to be forced to leave England.”

“I shall consider it.”

“Good. Now I’m off to see Corrie Sherbrooke. I want to see if she’s still vomiting in the chamber pots.”

As for Julian, he worked with Pennyworth until his eyes nearly crossed, worried more about the Blue Star, and took himself off to speak to a half-dozen bullyboys Harlan had told him knew everything that happened at the docks.

He was walking toward his house when he simply felt the other man’s presence. He felt his small derringer solid and loaded in his vest pocket. He slowly turned. “Richard.”

“Three years have passed since you left England after Lily’s funeral. Indeed, you left so quickly I didn’t have time to kill you. Why did you come back? Did you possibly believe that all would be forgiven? Did you think I would forget what you did? Forget you destroyed my family?”

Julian said, his voice utterly emotionless, “I have known you and your family all my life. We grew up together. I loved Lily, you knew I loved her, you were pleased when we married. How could you ever believe I would harm a hair on her head, much less kill her, even if there was this supposed lover in the picture?”